Blasting off!

The Official 100 Things About Rick Page (Updated 1.25.08)

This is the OFFICIAL list of “100 Things About Me.” All other lists are null and void, though they still reside on my blog wherever they occurred. I will revise this periodically, but won’t necessarily sound the horns when I do so.

So without further ado (too late!) here they are:

1. I am still single.
1a. I’m actually making strides to change that.
1b. We’ll see how that goes.
2. My favorite food is Italian.
3. I make a kickass meatball.
4. I was born in Kenosha, Wisconsin
5. I now live in Chicago, IL.
6. I am a Packer fan, but not a Brewer Fan.
7. I am a Cubs fan, but not a Bears Fan.
8. I love to sing.
8a. I used to have a Cabaret show at Gentry in Chicago.
8b. That bar is now closed, but I’d like to do it again someday.
9. I work for a major law firm’s marketing department as a graphic artist.
9a. My actual title is “Desktop Publisher.”
9b. I think “Graphic Artist” fits my job description better.
10. I grew up with dogs, but I own two cats.
11. I have one sister, and she is married.
12. I have two beautiful nieces. They are our miracle babies!
12a. My sister keeps a blog of her pregnancy and mothering experiences at The Road to Parenthood.
13. Most of my friends are in the Chicago Gay Men’s Chorus or the Windy City Performing Arts.
14. I used to sing with both groups, but I now only sing with CGMC.
15. I am not related to Danny Aiello.
16. My favorite artist is Elton John.
17. The name of this blog used to be “RcktRamblings.” When I moved my blog to WordPress it became “RcktMan’s Launching Pad,” and last year I changed it again to “The Launching Pad.
17a. “RcktMan” is an homage to Elton John’s song “Rocket Man”
18. My first online experience was on Prodigy back in 1992.
19. I used to consider myself an Independent voter, but I now consider myself a Democrat.
20. I was raised Catholic, but do not practice it anymore.
21. My uncle is a priest.
22. I have only one first cousin.
23. My mom had my sister because she did not want me to grow up an only child. (She was an only child.)
24. We named our second dog “Cubby” after the Chicago Cubs.
24a. His name was my idea.
25. My cats are named Pippin and Screech.
25a. Pippin, 9, is named after the musical, not the basketball player.
25b. Screech, 8, is so named because he’s so chatty, not after the “Saved By The Bell” character.
25c. My ex named Screech.
26. I have friends all over the country and in many areas of the world.
27. I have never been to Europe.
28 I have never been to paradise– or, for that matter, to me.
28a. I don’t know what the hell that means, but it makes for a great song.
29. I never knew either of my grandfathers.
30. I have relatives in Italy and across the United States that I have never met.
31. I did the layout for former Illinois senator and former presidential candidate Carol Moseley Braun’s resume in 2001.
31a. She paid me $200 for the service. She paid with a personal check. I have a copy of the check.
32. I have kissed a girl. She was the only girl in CGMC at the time. It was actually kinda hot.
33. I’ve never HAD SEX with a woman. And that’s the truth.
34. My first kiss and my first time having sex with a man was when I was 23 years old.
34. I am now 38 years old.
34a. I remember when that used to sound so old.
34b. It’s not so old after all.
35. I am TERRIBLE at remembering names.
36. I am a featured solist on the Chicago Gay Men’s Chorus’s first CD, “Cool Yule.”36a. I am also featured in CGMC’s second CD, “I Will Be Loved Tonight.”37. My favorite drink is Vodka & Tonic (with a lime).
38. I have never done drugs of any kind.
39. I have never smoked a cigarette.
40. I have smoked cigars but only puffed on them.
41. I am a top.
42. I love to kiss and cuddle.
43. I am extremely affectionate.
44. I have very little gray hair.
44a. And I don’t dye my hair, either.
45. I can be a bit of a loner at times.
46. I have been called “introspective”
47. In college I was heavily involved in Delta Epsilon Chi, a division of DECA, a student marketing organization.
47a. I was elected Wisconsin State SE Region Vice President in 1992 and State President in 1993.
47b. I was elected State Alumni President in 1998 (after having moved to Chicago).
48. I served on the board of CGMC for 2 years in 1999-2001.
49. I currently serve on the CGMC Membership Council after a 7-year hiatus.
50. My last ex and I were together for a year.50a. It was my longest relationship.
51. One of my fondest memories is going to the Wisconsin State Fair with my family and going down the huge slide.
52. Another fond memory is going to see my Grandma in Antioch, Illinois. It always seemed so far away.
53. I had my tonsils removed in July of 2003.
53a. At the same time my tonsils came out, I had a Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty or UPPP.
53b. I suffered from severe sleep apnea at the time. The surgery solved the problem almost 100%.
53c. As a result of the surgery, I no longer have a Uvula.
54. I am a prime candidate for high blood pressure and asthma.
55. They both run in my family.
56. I am addicted to YouTube and the Feast of Fools Podcast.
56a. I have been a guest on the Feast of Fools seven times.
57. I am surrounded by a network of wonderful, loving and supportive friends.
58. My father was Diabetic and my mother suffers from Emphysema.
58a. My dad died in July of 2006.58b. It was the most painful experience of my life, and I miss him very much.
59. While growing up, I wanted to be a teacher.
60. I graduated with an Associate Degree in Marketing in 1994.
61. I still want to complete my Bachelor’s and Masters degree someday.
62. I live way beyond my means.
63. I have poor credit.
64. I own a car, but still rent my apartment.
65. I would like to buy my own condo within the next 3 years.
66. I cry at sappy movies and songs.
67. I love comedies.
68. I love gardening
69. I grow my own herbs.
70. I hate housecleaning and laundry.
71. But I love when my home is clean.
72. I do not have a gym membership currently, but am looking at options for a new one.
73. I suffer from kidney stones.
73a. I had a severe stone in 2007 that caused me a great deal of pain for most of the year.
73b. The stone was surgically removed in December of 2007 and I have been pain-free ever since.
74. I thoroughly believe that if I worked out, I’d be “Hot”.
75. I am too lazy to make that happen. For now.
76. I sometimes listen to music when I fall asleep.
77. Since I got a DVR, I have been watching WAY more TV than I have watched in many years.
78. I hate seeing movies by myself, so I rarely see movies.
79. I love to cook for myself, and for others.
80. I like going out, but rarely ever go out alone.
81. I still occassionally cut my own hair, but I recently got it cut by a professional for the first time in a LONG time.
81a. I think I’m pretty good at it by now.
82. My favorite breakfast food is Eggs Benedict.
83. I am a master baker. Read that again.
83a. I made my own Sourdough starter and make Sourdough bread quite often.
83b. It’s pretty darn good.
84. I would fail miserably at the Atkins Diet.
85. McDonald’s McChicken Sandwiches are my nemesis.
85a. They are only $1 each.
85b. Yes, I am that cheap sometimes.
86. I have very few enemies.
87. I believe there is a direct correlation between one’s relationship with his or her family and the type of person he or she is socially.
88. I have a very good relationship with my family.
89. I am not a morning person.
90. I am a definite night owl.
91. I spend a lot of time online but rarely ever “hook up” anymore.
92. I’m ready to “settle down”.
93. I am addicted to online Karaoke.
94. My favorite author is John Irving.
95. I think Dolly Parton is one of the most underrated artists alive today.
96. I think The Beatles were geniuses.
97. I think George W. Bush was the biggest failure of all of the US Presidents, ever.
98. I think that Barack Obama will do great things as our new President.
99. I have voted in every Presidential election since I became eligible.
100. I’ve never been more hopeful about the future of our country.